Schools use free online courses to engage alumni - Kara Hackett, Fox News Channel

You’ve heard free online courses might reduce the rising cost of college. But what if they could extend education beyond graduation so when students invest in a school they’re not just paying for four years, they’re purchasing a lifetime of learning? That’s what Doug Fisher wants to hear in conversations about massive open online courses, or MOOCs. As an associate professor of computer science and engineering at Vanderbilt University, he’s heard educators talk about using MOOCs to make college cheaper. But until schools slash prices, he thinks they should harness online learning to add value to the traditional four-year model. His solution: providing free online courses for alumni to stay current in their fields and even asking alumni to help teach online courses. http://www.foxnews.com/fncu/current-interns/blog/2013/05/17/schools-use-free-online-courses-engage-alumni